The Oscar Buzz Celebrates Its Fifth Anniversary!

Well, the moment is here again. The Oscar Buzz is celebrating its fifth anniversary with the familiar rapturous applause. But how do I choose to remember this occasion? I looked at the previous years and found that sticking to Oscar-related number themes was a good idea. So, I began thinking: What goes with five? At worst, this could be an essay on FIVE Easy Pieces, at best I could rank "The Big Five" winners, which sounded a bit dull to me. While I was looking, I saw another trend: personal stories that connect me to these movies. It's why I decided to go with something less obvious. I would try and pick the year with five Best Picture films that I felt represented me the best. It doesn't necessarily have the best, but I felt this could be a launch pad for a personal remembrance of how cinema has impacted my life. So, why does the Class of 2002 stand out above the rest? I'll tell you why after the jump.

Three-Time Oscar Winner Daniel Day-Lewis to Retire From Acting

Daniel Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York

There are few actors quite like Daniel Day-Lewis. For starters, he often goes so long in between movie projects that it's easy to believe that each movie is his last. Before his latest film with director Paul Thomas Anderson (due this Fall), he starred in Lincoln, which won him his third Best Actor statue. That was five years ago. So, what is up next on his agenda? Unlike almost every other time, there is news of what that will be. Following the release of the Anderson film, he will be retiring from acting. The news is as shocking as it is predictable for an actor known for his reclusive personality and his fickle way of picking projects. Still, he leaves behind an impressive body of work that few could possibly match.

R.I.P. Michael Ballhaus (1935-2017)

Michael Ballhaus

On April 11, 2017, cinematographer Michael Ballhaus passed away at the age of 81. Through is career spanning almost 60 years, he helped to create some of the most memorable films from collaborators Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Mike Nichols, and most notably with Martin Scorsese. His work has created some of the most gorgeous and innovative films in cinema history, including the famous tracking shot in Goodfellas. He lives behind an impressive and expansive body of work that more than speaks for itself. He inspired many to copy his often gorgeous and cryptic style, and it's quite an impressive legacy to have. 

Best Song: "Lose Yourself" (2002)

Scene from 8 Mile

Welcome to Best Song, a new weekly column released on Sunday dedicated to chronicling the Best Original Song category over the course of its many decades. The goal is to listen to and critique every song that has ever been nominated in the category as well as find the Best Best Song and the Best Loser. By the end, we'll have a comprehensive list of this music category and will hopefully have a better understanding not only of the evolution, but what it takes to receive a nomination here. It may seem easy now, but wait until the bad years.

Theory Thursday: Leonardo DiCaprio is the Last Traditional Movie Star

Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant

Welcome to a weekly column called Theory Thursdays, which will be released every Thursday and discuss my "controversial opinion" related to something relative to the week of release. Sometimes it will be birthdays while others is current events or a new film release. Whatever the case may be, this is a personal defense for why I disagree with the general opinion and hope to convince you of the same. While I don't expect you to be on my side, I do hope for a rational argument. After all, film is a subjective medium and this is merely just a theory that can be proven either way. 

Failed Oscar Campaigns: Gangs of New York (2003)

Daniel Day-Lewis

As awards seasons pick up, so do the campaigns to make your film have the best chances at the Best Picture race. However, like a drunken stupor, sometimes these efforts come off as trying too hard and leave behind a trailer of ridiculous flamboyance. Join me on every other Saturday for a highlight of the failed campaigns that make this season as much about prestige as it does about train wrecks. Come for the Harvey Weinstein comments and stay for the history. It's going to be a fun time as I explore cinema's rich history of attempting to matter.